By Dan Walsh in Enniscorthy
Bishop Ger Nash led the events at Enniscorthy this afternoon celebrating The Presentation Sisters Order – 250 years since the foundation in Cork, 200 years since arrival in Enniscorthy and 25 years since the Order closed its Enniscorthy Convent.
Bishop Nash welcomed everyone to “the sacred space where Sisters were laid to rest after their ministry to the people of the town and district” at the Nuns Graveyard in the Orchard Peace Park where the first Patron was held in 2008.
There are 60 nuns buried in the former convent walled garden, five nuns are buried in the Presentation Sisters Plot in St. Mary’s Cemetery and others who ministered in Enniscorthy are buried elsewhere including the Presentation Convent in Wexford town.
The Blessing of Graves was performed by Bishop Nash, Rev. Billy Caulfield recited the Rosary, Readings were done by Deacon Dermot Davis, Maria Duggan and Miriam Doyle, while Adrian Doyle, organist at St. Aidan’s Cathedral was soloist for the ceremonial occasion attended by retired Sisters and a large congregation of local supporters.
Bishop Nash and members of the Sisters, including locals Sr. Ann-Marie Quinn and Sr. Imelda Wickham, planted a tree in the grounds of St. Aidan’s Cathedral to commemorate the historic occasion before bringing the ceremonies to a conclusion with Mass in St. Aidan’s Cathedral celebrated by Fr. James Cullen and Fr. Billy Caulfield with the assistance of Deacon Dermot Davis.
The proceedings had begun with refreshments and a meeting and greeting session in the Presentation Centre.
Enniscorthy Municipal District Council was represented by Cllr Barbara-Anne Murphy, Cathaoirleach, and Cllr Pat Kehoe.
HISTORY; In 1826, at the request of Bishop James Keating, Mother de Sales Devereux and Sr. Mary Joseph Rossiter arrived from the Presentation Convent in Wexford to establish a convent in Enniscorthy.
Bishop Keating allowed them to reside in his residence on Weafer Street, it was then known as New Street and the building was on the junction with Lymington Road and Pig Market Hill, nowadays, beside the HOPE Centre building!
On July 18th 1826, the Bishop, in the tiny chapel of this temporary convent, celebrated the first Mass and Mother de Sales Devereux was appointed Superioress. They remained there for 14 years.
On April 16th, 1839, the foundation stone for the new convent on Convent (Nunnery) Road was laid and the Sisters moved in on July 1st, 1840. A Gothic style chapel was added in 1859.
In 1960, St. Joseph’s Presentation Convent School was opened and the school catered for 720 students.
In 1994 with the amalgamation of Presentation Primary School and CBS Primary School, St. Aidan’s Parish School was established with Peter Creedon as Principal.
The convent closed for the last time on July 29th, 2001, and the remaining nuns moved to other Presentation Convents. There were ten nuns living in the convent at the time of its closure.
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